The life they might have known
by LittleMermade
Summary: AU; Bruce and Natasha have moved in together and after a long debate they have adopted two lovely children. Steve is visiting them, knowing that everytime he sees them together his heart will break a little bit more, but Bruce makes Natasha happy. That is what counts. Set after AoU; Brutasha; one-sided Romanogers


**I own nothing. The Avengers belong to Marvel and Disney.**

 **Hey people, this is a little different and I am personally not happy with it, but I felt like posting it anyway!**

 **This oneshot is a 'What if Bruce had never left' AU. It tells about a possible future a few years after AoU, if Bruce and Natasha had started a life as a couple. Yes, this is a Brutasha story, but I can't help it – it is also a Romanogers fanfiction, but it is one-sided. Steve is still in love with Natasha.**

 **I am sorry for the things that may seem OOC, but this is an AU, so it is no big deal in my opinion. ;)**

 **So: AU, Brutasha, one-sided Romanogers. R &R**

The engine noise of a motorcycle was the only thing that didn't fit in the nice and quiet suburb. Detached houses with lavish gardens strung together side by side. The sun was shining on that day in June so in most of the gardens children could be seen playing and laughing. The engine noise finally died away when the owner of the motorcycle arrived at his destination. Steve parked the vehicle at the drive of one of the houses and fixed his helmet to the seat. The house was similar to all the others in that street. It was two stories high with big windows. The walls were painted white and the roof panels were light brown. The garden was located on the other side of the house and couldn't be seen or accessed from the street.

Steve remained standing in front of the house for a few minutes before sighing and putting on a smile. He pressed the button for the doorbell once and waited for someone to answer the door.

Shortly afterwards voices and footsteps could be heard inside. An excited, little girl of about four years age opened the door and jumped straight into Steve's arms: „Uncle Steve! I missed you a lot!" Steve smiled and held tightly onto the child: „I missed you too, Katharina." Carefully Steve placed the girl down again. Her long, brown hair was a little messy, but a light blue Alice band with a small bow on the left side stopped her locks from falling in her face. She was wearing a dress colored in the same blue that was endling just above her knees. It had puffed sleeves and a white flower pattern all over it. Katharina was smiling widely and her big, green eyes were shimmering when she started talking again: „Mommy and daddy are waiting outside." A small hand grabbed two of Steve's fingers and Kathy led him through the hall and the kitchen into the backyard.

Steve was immediately greeted by a little boy running in his direction: „Uncle Steve!" Steve crouched down to hug the six year old kid: „Hey, Nico. How are you doing?" The boy grinned enthusiastically, revealing a tooth gap: „Great! Everyone at school knows mommy and daddy." Steve tousled Nicolai's blonde hair: „That's awesome, buddy. You have grown a lot. Probably you'll be taller than me when I come here the next time."

A woman's voice interrupted the conversation before Nico could answer: „Well… maybe that means you don't visit often enough." Natasha was standing by the table. She had her arms akimbo, a smile on her red lips. She was wearing her hair shorter again, which also fit her best in Steve's opinion. Steve let go of little Nico and stood up again: „Too busy." Natasha rolled her eyes: „As if…" Steve walked over to the petite woman and hugged her: „Good to see you, Nat." She smelled like wild flowers – it was a little different from her usual perfume. Natasha hugged him back and whispered: „You should really come here more frequently… Kathy is telling everyone in kindergarten that her uncle is Captain America."

Steve slowly parted from her: „I can't, sorry… there is too much on at the moment." Natasha shook her head: „Seriously, Rogers, you need a break."

In that moment Bruce walked out of the house, carrying a jug of lemonade, accompanied by Kathy who was holding a smaller jug filled with water. Bruce placed both jugs on the table which was already laid with glasses, plates and a chocolate cake. Then he gently placed a kiss on Kathy's forehead: „Thank you, sweety." Then he turned to Steve: „Finally. It has been ages." Steve tried to keep the smile on his lips: „Sorry… Just because you guys stopped dealing with problems, the world still has 'em." Bruce nodded and sat down next to Nat: „True… but we have to deal with a whole different range of problems now. You know, Halloween costumes, birthday parties, parent-teacher-days."

Steve nodded and sat down on the opposite side of the table, next to Kathy and Nico: „Well… I don't know, but I can imagine it." Natasha carefully cut the cake in pieces while talking: „By the way – how is Sharon doing?" Steve looked at his glass of lemonade before looking at Natasha again: „I guess she's doing good." Natasha had a puzzled look on her face: „You guess? What's on with that? You have been together for so long already." Steve had a sip out of his glass. Things to say flashed through his head:

 _...We kind of broke up… We argued a lot lately… She moved out… I went on missions that took weeks without telling her… I don't get myself to love her… She is Sharon… She is not you…_

Instead he just said in a low voice: „It's complicated." Natasha wasn't really happy with that response, but she didn't want to talk about it in front of the children, hence she changed the topic quickly: „Will you be able to visit at Nico's birthday?" Steve looked to his left, seeing the anticipation in the boy's eyes: „I hope so, but it looks good this year, buddy." Nico let out a small laugh, before dedicating himself to his chocolate cake again.

Bruce straightened his glasses before speaking up: „Have you heard anything of Tony lately or is he only avoiding us?" Steve looked at Bruce: „No, he isn't on the talkative side recently – which is quite unusual for him. Maybe he is burying himself in work with a new project." Bruce nodded: „I hope he's okay." Steve gave the other man a smile: „I'm sure he is. It is kind of usual for him to act unusually." Natasha grinned: „I have a theory on my own…" Everyone turned their attention to her now: „Pepper consigned the position of CEO of Stark Industries to Happy a few weeks ago. She'd never do that – she loves her job, but probably she's pregnant so she can't work any longer."

Bruce blinked a few times before nodding: „Yeah, that would explain why Tony hasn't got time for anything else." Steve noticed the kind look Natasha gave Bruce and forced himself to look at the children instead: „Could be… but let's better wait until they announce it theirselves."

Kathy fidgeted with her feet and looked in Natasha's direction: „Mommy… can I go play?" Natasha smiled softly with her eyes full of love: „Of course, honey. Take your brother with you." Kathy nodded and immediately the two children stood up from the table and ran over to the sandbox near the garden fence. Steve followed them with his eyes.

 _They make Natasha so happy… They could have been our children, if only I hadn't let her go… She is happy with Bruce … But she is so different from the Natasha years ago… She is happy … That's the most important thing…_

While Nat, Bruce and Steve cracked jokes about what Tony would be like as a father, Kathy and Nico started building a sandcastle, but that didn't go well without an argument about how it should look and who would do what for long. Natasha was about to get up when Bruce held her back and rose from his seat: „Don't worry. It's my turn." He walked over to the sandbox and calmed the situation down by helping his kids with their sandcastle. Natasha watched them for about a minute and took a few pictures on her phone before turning to Steve again: „So… what is going on with you and Sharon?" Steve hesitated: „We have had an argument, but it's going to be okay – don't worry." Natasha furrowed her brow: „Are you sure? You seem different today, Steve." Steve nodded slightly: „Yeah, it's only a phase." Natasha poured herself some more lemonade: „I hope you are right. You guys are perfect for each other. You make such a cute couple, you know?" Steve's eyes darted in Bruce's direction once more before he focused on Natasha again.

 _There will always be only one person I consider perfect… but she's in love with another man… She was never mine after all…_

Steve ate the last piece of his cake and tried to avoid talking about his relationship again: „The cake tastes good – did you make it?" Natasha rolled her eyes: „I am not done with you, yet. You are going to get things settled with Sharon, understood?" Steve put the fork back on his plate: „Natasha… I don't think it'll help, if I try talking to her. It will only get worse. Sometimes it is better to do nothing." Natasha's eyes darted to the kids before she used a bad language word: „Bullshit! You can't just wait. Probably she won't come back – you don't know that."

Steve ran his fingers through his hair: „I know… maybe that's for the best. Captain America is not the kind of person to keep a girl… or a family." Natasha facepalmed: „Are you nuts? Look at Bruce and me or Clint and Laura – probably it would be the best for you, if you weren't on missions that often, if you settled down." Steve shook his head: „I can't do that, Nat. The world is a terrible place and to ignore that doesn't make it any better. Sharon should be smart enough and not come back to me." Natasha smiled softly: „Don't talk about yourself in such a negative way – you are great, okay? It would be a tragedy, if you broke up!"

Steve sighed: „I'll see if I can get her to forgive me, but let's stop talking about it." Natasha nodded and remained silent for a few minutes while watching the sandcastle grow. Steve also turned to watch Bruce and the children play. Every now and then they could hear little Kathy laugh because Bruce tickled her. Steve's mind wandered off – back to the time Natasha, Sam and him had demasked Hydra, when Natasha had kissed him on the escalator.

 _Bruce doesn't deserve her… he wasn't there for her when she lost her foundation, when S.H.I.E.L.D. turned out to be fake… I was there for her… I wasn't gone without telling anyone were I was – I wouldn't let her alone with her problems…_

After a while Natasha turned back to Steve, smiling when she saw that he was watching the children too: „Aren't they adorable? I can no longer imagine to not have them around." Steve let go of his thoughts when he heard Natasha's voice and turned to face her: „Yes… yes, they are amazing. I am so happy for you two." Natasha chewed on her bottom lip, before taking another sip of her lemonade: „There is one thing… we didn't want to tell anyone, yet, but… I think you should know it." Steve tried to keep the smile on his lips and forced the words out: „Don't worry – I won't tell anyone." There was only one thing Natasha could tell him and he wasn't ready for that. She eyebaled Bruce and the kids once more, before facing Steve: „We are going to get married in September. The kids are growing up fastly and we couldn't be more in love, so what better time than now?"

Although he had tried to prepare himself for those words, it still hit Steve like a bomb. However, he was Captain America and Captain America knew how to deal with situations like that one. He managed to smile a little wider and spoke in a happy tone: „That's great! You have to tell me everything about it. I'm sure Tony'll freak out wehn you tell him."

And then Natasha started talking about the food she considered for her wedding-party and the debate she had had with Nico because he didn't want potatoes to be part of some dish. She told Steve about all kinds of different flowers and what she liked about those and what she didn't like. Steve kept sitting by the table, nodding once in a while and telling her she was right everytime she asked him about his opinion. But then Natasha started talking about the dresses she had already tried on. Her favourite was a mermaid style gown in champagne. In all the details Natasha pictured it to Steve – with its heart-shaped décolleté, its silken skirt and its shimmering pearls all over the dress, making it look like a diamond. It was that image in Steve's head that made it impossible – even for Captain America – to act as if everything was alright. He hesitantly interrupted Nat: „Sounds awesome, Nat, really. But would you excuse me?"

Natasha nodded quickly: „Oh… of course. I'm sorry. You really must get bored with me talking about dresses and flowers forever." Steve stood up from the table: „No, that's nice. I'll be back in a few minutes." With those words he fled the terrace and made his way to the bathroom. Steve locked the door behind him and paused. The image of Natasha in a white dress was so surreal. This was supposed to be the same Natasha who had thought that love was for children, the same Natasha who had stifled all her feelings in any situation. But that Natasha was long gone. The Natasha she had become lived an ordinary life, was a mother, would be someone's wife soon – Bruce's wife.

Steve stopped in front of the washbasin. His eyes met himself in the mirror before he started splashing cold water into his face.

 _Splash_

 _Agent Romanoff, this is Captain Rogers._

 _Splash_

 _You sure about this? –Yeah it's gonna be fun._

 _Splash_

 _Secure the engine room then find me a date._

 _Splash_

 _Public displays of affection make people very uncomfortable._

 _Splash_

 _Was that your first kiss since 1945?_

The memory of the only kiss he had shared with the woman of his dreams made Steve stop and he looked at the mirror again. With shaky hands he grabbed the towel and dried his hands and face. Natasha and Bruce moving in together had made thing kind of real. The two of them adopting children had made it totally real. The two of them getting married, however, made it too real. He wanted to be happy for Nat, but he didn't feel like being happy at all. His head was still full of the things that had been said.

 _It's nice… You and Romanoff._

 _What's her name again? Sharon, she's nice._

 _Seems like you're in the wrong business, Rogers._

 _If it was down to me to save your life – and you'll be honest with me – would you trust me to do it? I would now. And I'm always honest._

But what bothered him even more were the things unsaid, the things that could have changed everything.

 _Don't go – we can fix it together._

 _I love you. I have loved you since the very moment I saw you on the Helicarrier._

 _To bring an end to that whole 'Find me a date' thing – Will you go out with me?_

Steve ran a hand over one side of his face. He would have to go back to the garden now. He would have to watch Bruce play with Nat's and his two lovely children. He'd have to listen to Natasha's wedding plans. He wouldn't be able to do that for another couple of hours.

He had to make up a mission or something like that. Otherwise he would have to stay. Considering again Steve unlocked the door and started walking toward the backyard once more. He found everything as he had left it only minutes ago. Bruce was building a sandcastle with Kathy and Nico and Nat was sitting by the table checking on her phone. When she noticed that he was back she turned her attention back to him with a smile on her lips. The smile, however, faded away when she saw the expression on Steve's face: „What's the matter?"

He sighed softly: „I'm sorry… Duty calls." Natasha eyed the ground for a second before looking at him again and rising from the table: „Okay…" She turned to her family and called out: „Kathy! Nico! Uncle Steve has to leave for today!"

The kids immediately abandoned their project in the sand and stood up. Bruce tried to wipe their clothes clean of the sand, before he took the hands of the children and led them back to the table. Kathy looked up to Steve like a sad puppy: „Why do you leave so early?" Steve crouched down in order to meet the little girl's eyes: „There ar some really bad people out there and Captain America had to catch them. If I don't go now, good people will get hurt." Kathy nodded: „But when you are done, you'll come and visit us again, right?" Steve smiled and hugged the two kids: „Of course."

Slowly Steve straightened after stooping. Bruce was smiling slightly and gave the other man a brief hug: „See you soon, Cap." Steve nodded slightly: „Hopefully at Nico's birthday."

Natasha walked over to the door: „I'll accompany you to your motorcycle." Steve followed Nat into the house: „You don't have to walk me there, you know." Natasha smirked: „Calm down, Rogers. It's just twenty steps." Steve chuckled and stopped next to Natasha on the drive. She hugged him and whispered: „You need to skip a mission every now and then… You are not only Captain America, you are also Steve Rogers. And I remember that Steve Rogers wanted a family one day." Steve sighed and broke the hug: „It's nice that you are worried about me, but don't… I am fine, really. This is how I want to live my life."

Natasha watched him take the helmet and putting it on: „You can't be a superhero forever… there are others to surpass us, because no matter what you do – there will always be good guys and bad guys."

Steve closed the clip of his helmet and go on the motorcycle: „Yeah… but for now I can try to protect the world. And I have to go now…" Natasha rolled her eyes: „Goodbye… and don't do something stupid."

Steve nodded and started the engine. He began driving away quickly and soon the house of the Banner family to be wasn't visible anymore.

For one moment Steve considered whether to call Sharon or not. He decided against it and started going faster. It wouldn't work out anyway. And he didn't want Sharon to suffer once again. It was better for him to focus on being Captain America and not Steve Rogers.

 **Thanks for reading^^ Leave me a comment maybe?**


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